Fatah protest in Gaza against Hamas turns violent
Thousands of Palestinians loyal to President Abbas confront Hamas gunmen in
biggest protest against Islamic group since it seized power in Gaza in June.
Gunmen fire at protesters and reporters, witnesses said, but no injuries
reported; three journalists detained
News agencies YNET t Update: 08.24.07, 18:37 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3441496,00.html

Hamas security men shot towards thousands of Palestinian protesters loyal to
President Mahmoud Abbas who hurled rocks at them in the Gaza Strip on Friday
in the biggest rally against the Islamist group since it seized control of
the territory in June.

Crowds of members and supporters of Abbas's Fatah group marched in Gaza City
while dozens hurled stones at a security complex commandeered by Hamas's
Executive Force during the violent takeover.

Friday's scuffle followed the weekly Muslim prayers in an open square in
downtown Gaza City, called by Fatah activists who say they are no longer
welcomed in mosques following the Hamas takeover.

''The gathering of Fatah sons is to say and prove that the mosques are for
God and are not political forums for spreading sedition and rumors to the
people of Palestine,'' said Abu Ahmed, a 30-year-old Fatah supporter.

Following the prayers, the demonstrators marched toward the security
compound - now used as the headquarters of Hamas paramilitary police - and
the scuffle broke out.

The Fatah activists shouted names of former leaders, like Mohammed Dahlan,
who have been forced into exile. Others wore T-shirts with a photo of Samih
Madhoun, a notorious Fatah strongman killed by a crowd of Hamas supporters
during five days of fighting in June that led to the Hamas takeover.

Drivers honked car horns and protesters were seen riding on the hood of
vehicles. Hamas gunmen fired at protesters and reporters, witnesses said,
but no injuries were reported. Bullets peppered the front of a store.

"Jihad, jihad! (Holy war)," protesters chanted as they marched down the
streets, applauding as others smashed an unmanned Hamas security post on the
roadside.

Journalists protest 'repression and beatings'

Hamas security men detained four journalists, including a photographer from
French news agency Agence France-Presse, witnesses said. They also smashed a
journalist's television camera and roughed up and threatened a Reuters
photographer.

"They were beating me from behind, not heavily," said Reuters photographer
Abed-Rabbo Shana, adding that a Hamas gunmen pointed his rifle at his legs
and threatened to fire.

"The events today are a clear sign that Fatah did not vanish with the Hamas
coup," a Fatah official told Reuters. "People are against Hamas suppression
of Fatah. Hamas thought it can eliminate Fatah -- they are wrong. Fatah is
rising again."

All four detained journalists were quickly released, Hamas officials and
witnesses said. They said they got their equipment back. Later, journalists
staged a separate protest against the crackdown.

''No to repression and beating,'' said one banner carried by protesters.

Khaled Bolbol, one of the local reporters detained, said he was abused and
ordered to speak to Hamas' al-Aqsa television station.

''I refused,'' he said. ''I was beaten and stepped on ... I don't want to
speak to (Hamas) TV or any other.''

Hamas: Fatah inciting chaos

Islam Shahwan, spokesman for the Hamas militia, accused a small group of
Fatah activists of ''inciting chaos and bringing back the situation to
lawlessness.'' He said Hamas ''will not allow the situation to be repeated''
and promised to arrest those behind the protest.

Hamas says it is willing to tolerate dissent, but has cracked down on the
remnants of Fatah in Gaza, including breaking up private parties earlier
this month where people were singing pro-Fatah songs.

At a protest in mid-August, Hamas security men clubbed Fatah protesters,
seized photographers' cameras and raided media offices to prevent news
footage from getting out.

Hamas has closed down all opposition media and banned protests that lack
official permission.

Fatah officials said Hamas had detained hundreds of their men since the Gaza
takeover. More than 100 were still in prison and many had been tortured.

Hamas has said all arrests were non-political and only criminal charges were
filed. It has also said Abbas's security forces had in turn detained up to
500 of its supporters in the West Bank, where the president still
maintains control.

Several attempts to restart negotiations between the two factions have been
unsuccessful. Abbas has fired the Hamas-led government in Gaza, formed after
the Islamic group beat Fatah in a 2006 parliamentary election.

First Published: 08.24.07, 16:21